Thegreatape , I had the same problem first time I tried tubeless.

Solution for me was to put a tube in & pump up as hard as I dare & leave for 24hrs. This will make sure the tape is pushed good & proper against the rim.

Then remove tube , add valve & sealant & hopefully inflate.

If any air is still escaping , hold the wheel , so that the valve is at 6 o’clock & allow the sealant to pool at the bottom , then quickly flip it so the valve is at the top.

Usually works for me.

Whoops , a bit late , but well happy with one of these in the back of my Golf….http://www.rhinouk.co.uk/

Yup , agree with Turner Guy , just to add , I find shimano float adequate.

Are you sure your feet shouldn’t sit on the pedals in their natural positions ?

My feet tend to be a little ‘ ten to two ish ‘ , when I first started riding SPDs , I set them up to make my feet straight on the pedals , massive mistake , nearly destroyed my knees.

I was advised to sit on a bench , let my legs dangle , then look down at my feet , what ever their angle , that’s how they should sit on the pedals.

Worked for me ,years later, still on SPDs without any problems.

I found the Conti tubeless ready absolutely useless for running tubeless. Even the ‘Protection’ variants just weep sealant through the tyres , costs a fortune constantly topping them up.

Recently discovered Geax , absolutely bullet proof , but alas , not sure about weights.

Just for reference , I’ve got a 19.5″ , spot on for me at 6′ with 34″ legs.

Absolutely brilliant !

Right , I’m not familiar with the tyres you’re using , but I am running 3 bikes tubeless.

Things I’ve learned :

Stan’s yellow tape is a rip off ,I use Gorilla tape ( 1″ from Halfords or on line ) it’s about £2 & totally reliable.

Valves , use valves off old inner tubes , just need to be the removable core variety.

Sealant , in the early days , check the level weekly by sloshing the tyres about until you’ve worked out how long it lasts. Some tyres can ‘weep’ sealant & leave you empty in a few weeks or so.

Tyre/ Rim combo , it’s a matter of luck , some are ace others will leave you screaming in despair !

I’ve had a Scandal 29er & Lurcher 29er . Both SS & the most fun bikes ever to ride !

Got to disagree with thisisnotaspoon , I think the Lurcher is a fantastic looking bike , built up as a rigid single speed anyway , the Scandal , well I love it , but my God , that us ugly !!

Go for Hope , after years of replacing Shimanos every 6 months on the geared bike & every 3 months on the single speed , I now use Hope & it’s now 2 years & absolutley any sign of wear yet. Worth the money just for the fit & forget factor!

I’ve got a cheap M-Parts job .

I’m lucky , I’ve found a decent Tyre / Rim combo , so pumps straight up every time , no dramas. 🙂

It’s all a matter of luck with your tyre/rim combo.

Took a while , but for me it’s Geax/Dt Swiss , bullet proof for a 16 stone rider!

Have to agree tubeless has been a game changer in terms of ride quality , grip & reliability , best thing since hydraulic disk brakes for me !

Yup , had exactly the same , had a clumsy / heavy / near wash out on the front tyre that produced a big stretched egg shape . Initially I thought I’d pulled the bead out a little , but no , the tyre had stretched out of shape!

I’ve given up on contis altogether now , even the Protection Model , the side walls are too flimsy for me & they were forevever weeping stan’s , costing me a fortune in sealant.

As above , you can mix & match chains & sprockets , but Shimano & SRAM mechs must be set up with their own levers.

I would be interested to know if the 9sp XT mech would work on a 10sp cassette with a suitable 10sp lever though ?

Wow , great news !

I was going to start stockpiling any end of stock I could get hold of !

Cool , I’ll look there ,Rutland are now out of stock thanks .

I really hope they are not being dis continued.

When you re-tape them , add an inner tube , pump up as hard as you dare & leave for 24hrs , then remove , this’ll make sure the tapes stuck good & proper.

Then remove the tube , put in your tubeless valves & sealant , pump your tyre up how ever you normally would for tubeless.

I’ve had this with Conti X-Kings . Keep an eye on your sealant levels , it used to cost me a fortune replacing the Stan’s that weeped out .

Don’t use Continentals anymore !

I’ve had this with Conti X-Kings . Keep an eye on your sealant levels , it used to cost me a fortune replacing the Stan’s that weeped out .

I’ve had a conti x-king that developed an ‘ egg ‘ as in a portion of the casing had stretched , so looked buckled even though seated properly.

In my own experience , conti x-king ( protector & race ) run tubeless have been absolutely useless .

I now use GEAX , which for me are absolutely faultless , running tubeless for general XC/Trail , at close on 16 stone !

Something like this ……..?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/141350279346?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

Pah , who are these MBR fellas & what trails are they riding ?

My Lurcher is my third 29er & is by far the best frame I’ve ever ridden.Same fantastic geometry as the Scandal with out the harshness & stiffer , better tracking.

I’ve got it set up SS , with OnOne carbon forks & slack set , bloody brilliant . Don’t let the press fit BB put you off , the Hope ‘screw together’ jobbie works well & lasts well.

If I could afford it ‘ I’d have a second Lurcher as my geared hard tail.

I really struggle to believe , at this price , how such a great frame can get anything but a good review.

I’m 6ft & the 19″ is a spot on fit.

Oh yeah , did I mention , the Lurcher is a bloody great XC / Trail frame ? 😉

I would deffo recommend tubeless with the caveat that it took me a while to find a tyre that didn’t leek sealant through the side walls & fit the rim well.

Three brands of tyres later & have gone a year with out a flat ,at 16 stone doing 500 miles XC a month , I’m well happy !

+ 1 for all the positive feedback above.

Diablo helmet light , going into it’s 4th fault free year. Would happily buy again!

Get in touch with the retailer , they might offer crash replacement , if not free , then maybe at cost , worth a phone call ?

It’s got to be replaced anyway.

You were carrying a lot more beard this year Stan – ruined your otherwise perfectly aerodynamic form

Hell Yeah , thanks for not mentioning the extra lard !! 🙂

Still happy with my second pair of MW81s !

Course was physically a lot harder than last year, mainly I think due to the softness of the loamy bits. That was my impression from yesterday, and having downloaded stats from the HRM, pretty much backed up.

If I take last year’s 12 laps of data and average that to a single lap; each lap of 12.8km with 150m of total climb took 56 mins. Of that, 55% was at <75% of max heart rate; 38% was at 75-85% effort and 7% was at hard effort, with virtually nothing at ‘balls out’.

Yesterday’s 4 laps averaged: each lap was 12.6km / 165m climb, took 49 mins and was 3% at less that 75% effort; 17% at 75-85%; and 80% at hard including 6% of maxed out effort.

So granted, I was lapping faster but by heck, I was also working a load harder, which is why I feel worse in the legs today than i did a year ago

Thanks for he Science Jon , that’s making me feel better.

Here’s me thinking it was my piss poor condition making me 20 minutes slower over 7 laps than last year ! 😉

theotherjonv – Member
Course was physically a lot harder than last year, mainly I think due to the softness of the loamy bits. That was my impression from yesterday, and having downloaded stats from the HRM, pretty much backed up.

If I take last year’s 12 laps of data and average that to a single lap; each lap of 12.8km with 150m of total climb took 56 mins. Of that, 55% was at <75% of max heart rate; 38% was at 75-85% effort and 7% was at hard effort, with virtually nothing at ‘balls out’.

Yesterday’s 4 laps averaged: each lap was 12.6km / 165m climb, took 49 mins and was 3% at less that 75% effort; 17% at 75-85%; and 80% at hard including 6% of maxed out effort.

So granted, I was lapping faster but by heck, I was also working a load harder, which is why I feel worse in the legs today than i did a year ago!

Thanks for the science Jon , that’s making me feel better.

Here’s me thinking it was my piss poor condition making me 20 minutes slower over 7 laps than last year ! 😉

Anyone else now stuck on the sofa willing themselves to get off their arse & empty the car of soggy camping gear ? 🙂

What about forks ?

I first started rigid single speeding on aluminium forks & they were vicious – felt like I’d rattle my fillings out !

Now using carbon forks & what a difference !

Not expensive & bullet proof.

Check out On One or Exotic .

I’ve had an Exposure Diablo for a few years now , brilliant helmet light , it’s never let me down.

Question – when it does eventually die , has anybody ever had one serviced ?

Where did you send it & what was the cost & turnaround time ?

I’d give the tyres a weekly check initially , just a quick slosh around.

Some Schwalbes & Contis weep sealant through the side walls , something you might not notice until you get a puncture because all the sealant has gone.

I wouldn’t even try that with 10sp links.

Any difference in wear will have that section of chain slipping & jumping.

It’s just not worth hurting yourself or the bike.

Whoop , Whoop , in for the 6hr Single Speed !

I’ve used them twice , not the quickest despatch , but cheap & cheerful.

I’d use them again.

I’ve used them twice , not the quickest despatch , but cheap & cheerful.

I’d use them again.

I feel your pain , I thought paying close to £50 for X King ‘Protection’ would be a some guarantee of longer life , not so.

Had a lot of tyre issues over the years , being a more well nourished rider doesn’t help.

Issues for me were flint slashing the tyres beyond repair , or the side wall pulling away from the bead – a single speed issue caused by your whole body weight bobbing up & down , because of the more out of saddle climbing / accelerating .

I have never managed 6 months out of a rear , sometimes only weeks.

Until now , check out Geax , the TNT variant if you ride tubeless , fairly light & bullet proof.

Er yeah , not very fashionable to say so , but Halfords have come a long way.

I’ve recently discovered Geax tyres , after destroying every rear conti , schwalbe & panaracer I’ve ever used in a matter of a few months.

The Geax’s run tubeless on my 29er are superb & the best price from Halfords.

Better still , I order for in store collection in the evening & they’re there for collection on my way home from work tomorrow afternoon.

You can get power links for single speed chains , but it’s a gamble that it’ll be an outer link that breaks cleanly.

I carry a 4 link section of chain and obviously a chain tool.

We all use KMC Z610s chains & have NEVER had a failure.

I’m nearly 16 stone & fairly high mileage.

At £12 odd a pop , it’s no big spend to change my chain every 6 months to be on the safe side , decent stainless steel sprocket & chain wheel will take a few chains.

XC racing is great fun .

I’m far from a serious xcer , in fact I treat the Gorricks as my Sunday ride !

It’s no different to a group ride in the woods , except you do it at a pace that suits you.

Great fun & atmosphere for pros & newbies alike.

There is no snobbery or bullying either.

Do it regularly enough & it becomes fun socially as you will see the same faces at each race.